The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-04-02

started out early for a stroll In the
woods. Taking no heed of direction,
caring not whittier he went, he soon
found himself at the cross fence di-
viding his fathers farm from the
domain of Mrs, Beasley. The wild.
Ow's house was not far away, and as
Alf stood, gazing at the geese and
ducks in the yard, the widow, dress
ed in bright frock, and with her
rich hair waving about her shoulders.
came out and began shelIing corn for
the fowls. Deeply stirred by the
picture, AIf was about to turn away,
when Mrs. Beasl+Y, espying the
young man, waved a handkerchief at
him. In another moment he had
climbed the fence and was striding
toward The house. Mrs. Beasley met
him at the gate.
IVY, howdy. young Alf. Come
inn
"Howdy, Miz Beasley."
They shook hands and went into
the house. TIE widow, to show her
hospitality, brought him a drink of
water, and. having returned the
gourd, seated herself near him, gave
her pretty waite apron coquettish
tiounce and said:
IGNNh,,f
AIf""
"Ca'se yer waved at me-"
"W'y, fur pity sake. man, l wuz
er wavin' ter skeer er hawk away"
"WeIl, then, | recon / better go"
"Yer amt er goin' ter do no sich
NV er thing, fur ez yer've dun come.
yer mout ez we'll stay er while, that
is eff yer never did kere nuthin' fur
me-"
Nov, Miz Beasley," ALI replied.
fumbIing at the buttons on his coat,
Eyer know that l."
"That yer what, young Alp"
"Oh, that-wall, confound it, that
l aIlus have loved yer. l do, an I'll
berbIamed eff 1 ken help it. l must
60"
"Oh, 40 stay er little while long
er."
mo, fur eff l stay here ten min.
ute's longer my prospects in life will
he gone.
"Wait. Alf. an fur the Lawd's
sake tell me wut yer mean"
Alf's mind flew back to his fiddle.
Hecould hear the twang of its strings
and, far in the future he could see
himself surrounded by an admiring
crowd. Then, catching sight of the
widows bright eye, he sprang for.
ward. caught her in his arms, and ex.
claimed:
Fiddle or no fiddle, I'll be blam
eff | don't want yer to he my wife,
Just then old man Sam stepped in.
to the room, Alf unclasped the
widow and sat down.
"Miz BeasIey." said the old man
"I'm mighty pore hand ter purlay
er an honey er roun'. Pm like el
bee. Miz Beasley. Err bee don't bU;
all day round err flower but gifts a
the honey at once. l love yer pow
erful an 1 wants yer ter be my
wife,"
"Law, me, Mr.. Grear." the blush
ing woman replied, young Alf wants
me-"
"W'y yer don't pay no conferdence
ter him do yer?"
"Oh, yes. fur he says that he love
me-"
"But not ez we'll ez he does er fid
die" the old man replied. 81 tolt
him last night that I'd give him my
fiddle eff he'd give you up, an HI
tuck the fiddle"
"Now come, dad" Alf broke in
"tell all uy it. Tell her that the fid
die wasn't the fust offerin'. Tell he
that refused the yoke NV red steer
an two NV the white sow's pigs. Tel
her all, dad, fur I don't want her t
think that I give her up without e
: struggle"
II have heard er nuff." the widow
replied. "Ter tell the truth, it didn'
make no ditfunce with me which on,
Nv yer married, that is. didn'
make no ditfunce till I hearn whut
, have, but now, l will marry the dad
dy instead OF the son."
The old man took her in his arms
The young man glided through tn
doorway. Several hours later. as tn
old man was nearing his home, h
heard the whining of the fiddle
; Entering the house, he found tn
young man sitting by the fireplace